Curb bit for bridle



June 14, 1960 H. M, POOLE 2,940,238

cums BIT FOR BRIDLE Filed Nov. 20, 1958 452 93 INVENTOR.

Harold M. Poo/8 tates .atent fiice 2,940,238 Patented June '14, 1960 V 2,940,233 CURB on" FOR BRIDLE Barnum. Poole, Medina, Wash.

(Rte. 2, roent en, w m I Filed Nov. 20, 31958, Ser. No. 755,151) 2 e1. ea-=7 My invention relates to curb bits for bridles and the primary object of my invention is to provide a curb bit by which lever action can be exerted through tens'ioning of the bridle reins to control a horse without exerting downward pressure byway of the head strap of the bridle of the top of the horses head just back of the ears.

Other objects are to provide a curb bit which is simple and strong in construction, serviceable and efficient in operation, humane and easy on the animal on which it is used, easy to clean and keep in proper condition for use, and one which issimilar in "appearance to a conventional curb bit.

Other objects of my invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

The conventional curb bit comprises a one piece bar or mouth piece having two cheek pieces rigid with and extending crosswise of its rmpe'ctive ends. Each cheek piece comprises a shorter upper cheek piece member and a longer lower cheek piece member. The tower end portions of the head strap of a bridle are connected with the upper ends of the upper 'cheekgpiece member's. Reins are connected with the lower ends of the lower cheek piece members. The upper and lower cheek piece members at each side are rigid relative to each other. They function like levers on the ends of the bit bar. This conventional curb bit is a bit with lever action capable of increasing the force exerted by pulling on the reins and localizing this force, to a large extent, on the sensi tive bars of the animals posterior jaw. In the use of this conventional curb bit, when a pull .is exerted on the reins both the lower and upper cheek piece members are rotatively moved and pressure is applied by the head strap of the bridle to the top or poll of the animals head just back of the ears. This pressure, thus exerted on the ear muscles and nerves, confuses the horse and is objectionable in that it causes the horse to lay back its ears and thrust its head forward. This gives the horse an undesirable appearance and has an adverse efiect on its balance.

It is generally recognized that this downward pressure exerted by the head strap of the bridle on the top of a horses head in the use of a conventional or ordinary curb bit is undesirable. On page 54 of Elements of Hippology, written by F. C. Marshall, Captain, Fifteenth Calvary, and prepared under the direction of the Department of Tactics, United States Military Academy, West Point, N.Y., 1906, the author states, The ordinary curb bit exerts a downward pressure on the poll, which increases as the curb chain is loosened, allowing the upper branch to revolve further forward and downward. This is objectionable, but as no bit has ever been devised that removes it without introducing more objectionable features, it is a condition that must be accepted for the present.

In accordance with my invention I provide a curb bit in which the upper cheek pieces are pivotally connected with the respective ends of the bit bar so that 2 tilierewill as; be any downward fp'ii ll pressure exerted by the headstrap of fl'ie bridle when apull isex'erted on the reins and the horse will react to the pull on the reins by lke'epin'g its ears in a forward position and arching itsjneck and will Iilotfightthe bit.

:ameaccempairyiagarawings; I v v Figure l is a side elvational'view illustratingby dotted liiiesthe head 'of-a horse having thereon a bridle equipped with a curb 'bit constructed in accordance with my inei t I Fig. 2 is an edg view or my curb bit looking in the direction of broken line 2-2 of Fig. 3. I v

.Fig. 3 is an elevation of my bit looking in the direction of broken line 33 of Fig. 2. V

Fig. 4 is an exploded fragmentary perspective view showing parts of my curb bit. I

Fig. 5 is a sectional View, with parts in elevation, taken substantially on broken line '5-5 of Fig. 2.

Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the'several views. 7 A

My bit comprises a bit bar 10 having an arch shaped port 11 midway between its two ends. When the bit is at rest in the animals mouth the port 11 lies on the tongue When a pull is exerted on the bit to stop or control the animal the port 11 revolves upward and forward and away from the tongue providing greater tongue freedom. The bit bar 10 hasan enlargement or flange 12 at each end thereof and each flanged end portion terminates in a fiat end surface 13, Fig. 4, provided with anaxial threaded hole 14. v I h H Two lower'cheek pieces and are integral with or rigidly attached to the respective ends of the bit 10 and extend approximately perpendicularly outward from said bit harm the same direction. The upper endof each lower cheek piece 15 and I6 is shaped #to provide an approximately s em'i-circularshield and istop mernher 17. Two stop surfacesf1'8 and 19 areprovided by the 1 Two upper cheek pieces 20mm 21 of shorter length than the lower cheek pieces are pivotally connected with the respective ends of the bit barlfl and extend approximately per endicularly away from said bit he theopposit'e direction from thej res'pective'lower cheek pieces 15 and 16. The lower end porti'oii'of each upper cheek piece 20 and 21 is of partially cylindrical externai shape to fit Within the adjacent shield member 17 andis drilled, as best shown in Fig. 4 to provide a'eouirterboi'e 22 of fairly large diameter, a tubular bearing member 23 of smaller diameter than the counterbore 22 and a flat shoulder 24.

A shouldered bearing screw comprising a threaded portion 25, a shoulder 26, a cylindrical bearing member 27, and a head 28 is adapted to extend through the counterbored portion of each upper cheek piece and is threaded into the perforation 14 in the adjacent end of the bit bar 10. The shoulder 26 of this hearing screw abuts against the flat end surface 13 of the bit bar and the parts 27 and 28 fit within the respective bearing member 23 and counterbore 22 of the upper cheek piece forming an adequate pivotal bearing for the upper cheek piece.

The particular structure of the adjoining end portions of my bit bar and cheek pieces makes it possible, in a curb bit having pivotally mounted upper cheek pieces, to keep the upper and lower cheek piece members in the same plane and to avoid having thick and bulky parts at the ends of the bit bar. The stop members 18 and 19 limit pivotal movement, in both directions, of the upper cheek pieces and make bridles which are equipped with my curb bit easier to handle when they are not on an animal or are being applied to an animal than they would be in the absence of these stop members. The pivotal mounting of the upper cheek pieces 26 and Each upper cheek piece 20' and 21 terminates its" upper end in a ring 30 to which the head strap 31 of a bridle is attached. The head strap 31 passes over the 21 does not substantially change the conventional ap' pearance of the curb bit.

portions each perpendicular to the axis of the bit bar and each provided with an axial threaded perforation;

tw'o' iippercheek pieces having perforated end portions horses head just back of the'car iwfvhen'the' bridle use; A'rearwardly extending arm 32. is provided on each lower cheek piece 15 and 16 near the. end thereof which is rigid with the bit bar and a' perf oration' 33jis provided in each arm 32 tor eceiveaicurb chain 34. The

curb chainf34 passes around the lower: portion of the 'of the animals mouth when a pull is exerted on'the reins 36. 7 a

With a conventional curb bit, which has all of its cheek pieces rigid with the bit bar, when a pull is exerted on the reins thefulerum is at the upper ends of the upper cheek pieces and these upper cheek pieces tend to rotatively move forwardly with the result that a downward pull is exerted on the head strap .01? the bridle. This pull essentially produces a downward pressure of the head strap on the top of the horses head near the base of the cars. This pressure causes the horse to lay back its ears and protrude its head forwardly or stick out its nose.

7 My bit has the upper cheek pieces pivotally connected with the respective ends of the bitbar so that when tension is applied through the reins to the lower ends of the lower cheek pieces the bit barwillibe rotatively moved,

the curb chain will be tensioned,.and'the bit bar 10 will balance. Also when the controlling force is thus applied:

positioned against the respective flat end portions of the bit bar; a shoulder screw threaded into each of said axial perforations and extendingthrough each of said perforated end portions pivotally to secure the perforated end portions of the upper cheek pieces to the bit bar with said .upper cheek pieces extending outwardly in one direction from the bit bary two stop members-provided on each end of said bit ,bar limiting pivotalmovement in two directions of the respective Iupper cheek pieces; and two lower cheek pieces integral with the respective end por- 4 tions of the bit barandextendingoutwardly'in a substantially opposite directionfrom the bit bar.

2. A curb bit comprising a bit bar; a flange member providing an enlargement at each end of said bit bar, each flanged end of said bit bar terminating in a flat end surface perpendicular to the axis of the bit bar and each end of said bit bar having an axial threaded perforation therein; two lower cheek pieces integral with the respecwardly from the plane of the adjacent flat end surface and extends around the margin of approximately the lower half of the adjacent end flange; two upwardly extending upper cheek pieces each having a rounded lower bar; each shoulder screw havinga head seated in the only :in one place, namely on the bars oi?- the mouth; less,

force is needed to' control the. horse, the horse is not confused by the application of a. he ad pressure which doesnot have anything' to do withcontrolliug or stopping for these-reasons the. bit is more humane: o

The foregoing description and accompanying drawings clearly disclose a preferred embodiment of my invention 7 but it .be'. understood that changes may be rnade end'portion positioned one shield and stop memher with the inner'face of the upper cheek piece resting against the adjacent flat endsurface of the bit. bar, the lower end of each upper cheek piece having a transverse counterbored hole therein forming a larger outericounterbore anda shoulder and a smaller'inner bearing sleeve;

and a shoulder'screw extending through the counterbored hole'in each upper cheek piece and threaded into the axial perforation inthe adjacent end portion of the bit counterbor'ej of the uppe'r cheek piece and a bearing shank fitting" snugly within the bearing sleeve of said "upper cheek piece and" a shoulder abutting against the a cljacent ,s'sm'a Germany ,Sept. 17.1891

Johnson Sept. 12,1905

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